


From the Library of Dr. James Carter

by helooksbritish



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-04 06:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4128267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helooksbritish/pseuds/helooksbritish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When books are brought to the Antique shop, they bring with them memories Henry would rather not talk about.  Memories of a love lost years ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Books from a lifetime ago

**Author's Note:**

> True is it that we have seen better days  
> And have with holy bell been knolled to church,  
> And sat at good men’s feasts and wiped our eyes  
> Of drops that sacred pity hath engendered.  
> And therefore sit you down in gentleness,  
> And take upon command what help we have  
> That to your wanting may be ministered - Shakespeare, As You Like It (Act 1 Scene 7)

When Henry returned home, after a long night in the morgue, Abe had a set of new books he wanted Henry to examine for him.  A man had been by earlier with the set asking about their worth, Abe knew that Henry would be interested.

“Where did you get these?”  Henry carefully flip the cover, running his fingers across the inscription inside. 

Abe watched his father, “A man came in asking about their value.  What do you think?”

Henry could not believe what he was holding, “These are priceless.  These belonged to a very dear friend of mine.”  Henry had not looked up from the signature on the cover.

“Oh yeah, who?”  Abe smiled ready to hear yet another of Henry’s tells of years long past.

There was a tear in Henry’s eye when he looked up at Abraham.  “Someone who was taken from me way too soon.”  Henry gave a sad smile, “Fine out what he wants for these.  I would like to have them.”

Abe nodded, “He should be in here tomorrow.”

“Ask where he got these as well.”  Henry closed the cover gingerly and replaced it among the other books.  He then headed off to revisit old forgotten memories.

Abe was used to Henry’s odd behavior, but it wasn’t often that Henry did not elaborate on a story from his past.  He lifted the book cover and saw written in neat script, “From the library of Dr. James Carter”.

 

~~*~~

“…Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay…To change your day of youth to sullied night…And all in war with Time for love of you…As he takes from you, I engraft you new.” James leaned on the back of Henry’s chair and kissed him softly on the neck.

“You are not quoting Shakespeare again are you?”  Henry chided him.

James smiled, “I know how much you enjoy it.”

“I have no qualms with Shakespeare’s work, I just don’t see it for the treasure everyone else claims it to be,” Henry looked up from his paper.

“Yeah well, that is your loss.  I just bought a set of his complete works, and one of these days I will change your opinion on Shakespeare.”

Henry stood from his chair and moved closer to James, “Oh yeah, and how do you plan on doing that?”

James wrapped his arms around Henry’s waist smiling, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Henry laughed, “Honestly you can do better than that.  Quoting the sonnet everyone uses, that is no way to change my mind.”

James smiled, kissing Henry and tightening his hold on him, “How about doing this instead?”

“I think that may actually be the only way to change my mind about Shakespeare.”  Henry said breathlessly.

James pulled Henry to the bedroom, laughing.

~~*~~

Henry held a photo, he smiled at the memories that came back to him. 

“Pops, dinner is almost ready.”  Abe walked into the study to find his father sitting in a chair looking at old photos.  “I’ve never seen those before.” 

Henry looked up and smiled sadly, “Some memories are too hard to share.”

Abe sat quietly.  He knew that his father had lost more in his life than anyone should.  He had lived so long that there was a lot of pain in his past.  Henry had learned over the years how cope with the pain, but no one could hold it all in all the time.  It wasn’t healthy.  “So who was Dr. James Carter?”

Henry looked down at the photos he was holding.  “He was the love of my life, until your mother of course.”  Henry handed Abe a photo from the early 1900s. 

Abe looked up at his father, eyebrows raised, “Really?  You… with a man?”

“Abraham, don’t be so old-fashion.  There is nothing wrong with…”

“Whoa, I never said there was anything wrong with it.  You just have never mentioned it before.”  Abe defended.  He looked down at the photo he had been handed.  It was of a college graduation.  There were around 30 people in cap and gowns posing outside of a hospital.

“I had returned to university to learn the new techniques of surgery, and that is where I met him.  We were fast friends.”  Henry moved next to Abe and pointed at the photo.  “That’s James.”

Abe looked at the photo and saw the man Henry was pointing at, “Well come on, tell me about him.”

“What is there to tell?  We both got jobs in the same hospital and naturally shared an apartment, as young bachelors often do and several years later he died.  He contracted tuberculosis.  It was the hardest thing I had ever watched, as he slowly died.  Knowing that I would live on without him and there was nothing I could do to help him.”  Henry got quiet.

After a silence that seemed to drag on, Henry looked up and smiled.  “He bought those books to make me angry.  He knew I hated Shakespeare…”

“Hate Shakespeare?  You always made me read it, telling me that he was an important part of literary history that should never be overlooked.”  Abe interrupted.

“James was successful in changing how I felt about the bard.  He was relentless in his attempt to make me love the poems he was so passionate about.”

~~*~~

“What light from yonder window…”  James called out as he entered the room.  It was late and Henry was still awake, reading by candle light.

“James, why do you do this?!  I hate, Hate, HATE Romeo and Juliet!”  Henry curled up his nose in distaste.

“Aw, Henry it is one of the greatest romance ever written.”  James leaned against the door frame.

“Romance?  You call that a romance?  My dear, this play is nothing more than a tragic weekend between children who are fueled by lust and pay no attention to consequences.  People die and families are ruined, but you say it is the greatest romance of all time.”  Henry scoffed.

James just smiled, he loved to watch Henry get fired up.  “I’m going to bed, care to join me?”

“I hate it when you do that to me.”

“What?”

“Start an argument and then just let it blow away like it was nothing.”  Henry moved closer to the man.

James took Henry’s hand and kissed it lightly, “When it is an argument worth having I will stand my ground, but this… this is just fun.”

Henry smiled at the wise words from someone so much younger.  “I hate you.”  He said jokingly.

“Those lips that Love's own hand did make…Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate,'”  James pulled Henry towards their room reciting the 145 sonnet.

“JAAAAMES!”  Henry groaned.

James’ smile brightened, “I love you, too!”


	2. A story of another time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If we shadows have offended,  
> Think but this, and all is mended,  
> That you have but slumber'd here  
> While these visions did appear.  
> And this weak and idle theme,  
> No more yielding but a dream, (Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream Act 5, Scene 1)

Abe paced the store waiting for the man to return about the worth of the books.  Around midday a young lady walked up to the counter to talk with Abe.  “Yesterday my husband came in here with an antique set of Shakespeare books, I was just wondering…”  She started.

“The books, yes I would like to talk to you about those.  Where did you get them?”  He asked her.

“They belonged to my great-great uncle.  My grandmother died recently and left them and some of his other things at the house.  I hate the idea of selling them, but honestly I have a small apartment and just don’t know what I would do with all of her things.”

Abe smiled at her, “A friend was here last night and saw the books.  He said that Dr. James Carter was his grandfather’s friend and was hoping you would sell him the books.”

“Really, I guess it was fate that we brought those here.  If he is interested I can bring him all of my uncle’s stuff.  I mean it isn’t much, letters, photos and stuff.”

Abe smiled, “I am sure he would be thrilled to see them.”

“I will go get those than,” She smiled and left the store.

Abe called Henry to tell him the good news.

*

“Henry, phone.  It is Abe,” Lucas informed his boss from the door.  Lucas was a bit worried about the Doctor, who was quieter than normal, spending most of his day in his office.

“Abraham, is everything alright?”  Henry answered.

“The lady, who brought in the books… well her husband brought in the books, but anyway… she said that if you are interested she has other things from her Uncle James and she went home now to get them.  I told her that your grandfather was friends with James Carter and that you were interested in learning more about him.  I mean obviously I couldn’t have told her the truth…”

“Oh Abe, that is wonderful!” Henry interrupted his son’s rambling.  “I was just finishing up here.  I will be home soon.”

Henry closed the file he had on his desk.  “Lucas, I am going home.  There is nothing more to be done tonight.”

There was a bit of a skip in Henry’s step and he quickly left the morgue.  Lucas watched in amusement as his boss got on the elevator.

~~*~~

“…For men diseased; but I, my mistress' thrall… Came there for cure, and this by that I prove… Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.”  James was sitting up in bed with Henry laying perpendicular, head resting in James’ lap.  With one hand James mused Henry’s hair, the other help up the book of Shakespearian Sonnets.

Listening to James read changed Henry’s perspective, but James could read the dictionary and Henry would fall in love with it.  The man had a way with speech that made anyone pay attention.  His words fell on the ear softly and with passion.

“That’s the last of them.”  James said closing the book.

Henry smirked, “Good, I don’t know that I could handle hearing another.”

“Fine if that is how you feel I will never read them again.  You win, and I will never try to get you to like another thing that I enjoy.”

“First off, you know that isn’t true.  You will forever try to share your passions with me, even though I am old fashion and stuck in my ways.  And second,” Henry sat up and kissed James on his head, “You know me too well to think that you have not changed my mind at least partially, I will never like Romeo and Juliet.”

James kissed Henry, “See I told you I would change your mind.”  There was a pause in conversation until James finally asked, “Henry, I was wondering if I could change your mind on another topic.”

“Anything,” Henry sat back a bit.

James reached out a hand and rubbed at Henry’s bare chest.  “I was wondering if you would tell me the story behind this scar.  You had said it was a story for another day.  We have been together 4 years now, and I was just wondering when you were finally going to trust me with this big secret of yours.”

Henry’s expression turned sad, “You wouldn’t believe me if I tried to tell you.”

~~*~~

Henry ran into the store.  The woman was standing at the counter with Abraham.

“Oh good, Henry you are here.  This is Emily.  She is the lady who brought in those books you were interested in.” 

The lady turned around to face the man who just walked into the store.  “Oh my goodness, how is that possible?!”  She questioned aloud.  The young lady quickly turned back to the box of papers she had brought in with her.  “Either you are some type of time traveler, or you look just like your grandfather, Henry Morgan.”  She held out a photo.

“I do look a lot like my grandfather, named after him as well.”  Henry took the photo.  It was a picture of him and James during university.

“My great-grandmother was much younger than her brother James, and he was very close with her.”

“Your Amelia’s great-granddaughter.”  Henry spoke before he thought.  He was so caught up in memories of James that he forgot himself a bit.

Emily smiled, “Yeah, my great-grandmother was a wonderful woman.  She often spoke so fondly of her brother, while the rest of the family just tried to forget him.”

“You know I heard, from my grandfather of course, that her parents had given up hope of ever having a daughter, and after six sons I can understand it.  And after an accident the doctors had told your great-great grandmother there was a one in a million chance that she would ever be able to have another child.  Then she found out she was pregnant again, and she got the daughter she wanted so badly.  Her mother named her Amelia because she was the one in a million, and she felt so lucky to have her.”  While talking Henry had walked Emily towards the apartment so that they could sit and look at the items in the box together.

“That’s amazing.  I’ve never heard that story before.”

~~*~~

Henry paced the apartment.  He had stalled long enough the night before that James eventually dropped the subject, but Henry knew he had to tell him.  He had to let James know his secret.  The memory of Nora was still strong, and even though he wanted to believe that James would listen to his story and not have him committed, he still packed a bag of important things.  Leaving James would be the hardest thing Henry has ever done, but he could not go through all that again.

James walked into the apartment with arms laden with boxes and bags.

“I need to tell you something,” Henry said nervously.

“Look what I got for Amelia.  Tomorrow is her birthday.”  James set down all the items then opened a rectangle box.  Inside was a porcelain doll, blond haired, smiling face, with a light blue Victorian era dress.

“Amelia, your sister.  How old is she?”

“Seven.  My family isn’t exactly normal.  There are six of us son and then eighteen years later my sister.  She’s great.  You will have to come with me tomorrow and meet my family.”

“Don’t you think your family will wonder about, you know, our relationship?”

“No, my family invited you.  They love having people over.  Can’t promise my mom won’t try and fix you up with one of the neighbor girls, nice doctor like you.”  James pinched Henry’s cheek. “Now what did you need to tell me?”

Adrenalin rushed Henry’s body again, “James about my secret.  It’s a long story.”

James sat down and waited to hear about this mysterious past that haunted Henry night and day.

“I haven’t been exactly honest with you, and this is going to be hard to hear.  But if you would please listen to the whole story.  At the end of the story if you don’t believe me or wish that I leave, I have already packed and will do so.”

James looked over to the suitcase standing by the door.  Now he was nervous.  What could Henry possibly be about to tell him that would warren him packing incase James wanted him gone.  “You’re scaring me.”

“I know, I am truly sorry.”  Henry took a deep breath and started.  “In 1814, a slave ship named the Empress of Africa was traveling to America with a shipment of slaves.  There was a young doctor on the ship and when he tried to stand up to the captain who wanted to throw one of the slaves overboard.  He was shot and killed.  They threw his body overboard.”  Unconsciously, Henry rubbed at the scar on his chest.  “Ever since that moment.  I have not been able to die, or at least stay dead.”

“Are you telling me that you are over 100 years old?”

“124 to exact.  I wish there was a way I could prove this to you.”

James laughed.  “You are the craziest man I have ever met.”

Henry gave a nervous smile.

“I always knew there was more to you.  You are too smart to have only live one lifetime.  Now I don’t feel so bad about coming second to you in school.  You have had training before, and about 100 years’ experience on top of it.”

“You believe me?”  Henry eyed him curiously.

James smiled, “I can’t say that I understand it, but it doesn’t matter does it?  If you can live forever, then I will love you for as much of your forever as I am here.  If you are crazy, well your madness is what made me fall in love with you to start with, I am sure I can manage it.”  James wrapped his arms around Henry.  “Just promise me one thing.  Do not scare me again into believing you are going to leave me.”

Henry kissed James.  Tears were forming in his eyes as he held the younger man.  “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening, and for trusting me.”


	3. A life saved and a heart stolen

Henry was deep in thought as he looked at photos Emily had in her box.  There were letters written to Amelia about Henry.  Henry’s heart swelled as he read James’ words.

Emily watched Henry and smiled.  “He loved you, you know.  I want you to have all of this.  Fate clearly brought me here for a reason.”

Henry stared at her wide eyed, unable to say anything.

“My great-grandmother told me stories when I was young of an immortal man who saved her life and stole her brother’s heart.”  Emily smiled, “I am just happy to see those stories were true.”

~~*~~

“James, we are going to miss our train.  Let’s go!”  Henry called from the door.

“It’s my family, why don’t you let me worry about being late.”  James said as he grabbed the rest of his things and rushed out the door.

“If I left the worrying up to you, nothing would get done on time.”  Henry laughed.

The two rushed to the train and made it just has the conductor was calling to board for the last time.  Henry was nervous to meet James’ family, but also excited to see where James grew up.

My mother wrote and said she was excited you decided to join me.  She also said that there are these two lovely girls who live just down the way.”  James teased.  “Does your family try and set you up still?”

Henry looked at James, “My family died a long time ago.”

James shook his head, “Right sorry.”  He then turned to watch out the window for a while.

Henry worried that James did not believe his story.

When they arrived at the Carter Farm, all six of James’ brothers came out to the porch to greet them.  Amelia, however was the first one to see them and rushed them as soon as they entered the gates.

“James!”  She called as she ran to him.  “You’re here, you came come.”

James caught the girl as she jumped into his arms.  “And miss your birthday, I would never do such a thing.  How have you been?”

She smiled hugging him.  “Mama didn’t know if you were really going to show up or not.  She says that you get stuck at the hospital a lot and cannot come home sometimes.”

“I do, there are a lot of sick people who need my help, but I couldn’t miss your birthday.”  James let the girl back down to the ground and held tight to her hand as they walked the rest of the way up the path towards their brothers and the house.

“Everyone, I would like to introduce my colleague Dr. Henry Morgan.  Henry, this is, well everyone.”  James smiled.

“Nice to meet you all.”  Henry said politely.

The family sat down at a long table for dinner and birthday cake, then it was time for presents. 

Amelia loved the doll that James found for her.  It was her favorite gift, until her father brought in one last gift.  A young yellow and orange tabby cat.  “Now you are responsible for him.  You will have to feed him and take care of him.”

“Really?  He’s mine?”

Her mother and father smiled at her as she excitedly reached out for the kitten.  Amelia hugged him and petted his head.  “Thank you, thank you so much.”

“So much for the doll,” James whispered in Henry’s ear.  “Come on, I’ll show you around.”  James stood, “I’m going to show Henry around the farm.”

“Can we come?”  Amelia stood with the kitten.

“Of course,” James beamed at his sister.

The farm wasn’t anything special there was a field of corn and a pasture for the milk cows.  Near the barn was a pen for the pig and her two piglets, and another for the bull.

“This farm belonged to my grandfather, and I am very thankful it does not belong to me.”

“Never wished to continue on with the farm?”  Henry asked.

James smiled, “No, never.  Always wanted to be a doctor, or possibly a vet.  And when I was really young I wanted to be a horse, but I only recently grew out of that desire.”

It was really a beautiful place, even if James had no desire to be a farmer.  This was still home.

“Ouch, kitty, wait come back.” 

James and Henry looked over as Amelia chased the cat who had clearly scratched and jumped down.  The girl ran after the cat and through the fence of the bull’s yard.

“Amelia, no, wait don’t go in there!”  James yelled as he and Henry ran for the girl.

Henry was at the fence first and didn’t hesitate in jumping in to grab the girl as the bull began circling around.  He neared the fence by James just as the bull began to run as well, and as he handed the girl over he felt a sharp pain in his back as the bull hit him and penned him to the fence post.

“Henry!”  James yelled out.  “Henry, Henry no!”

The bull backed away and Henry’s body fell limp to the ground. James pulled Henry out of the yard and laid him flat.  James went quickly into doctor mode checking the injury and trying to figure out what he could do.

“Amelia, are you alright?”  He called out as he held the shirt to slow the bleeding.

The girl was crying but she nodded.  “Run to the house, get my medical bag.  Run!”  The girl took off running.  “Henry, you stay with me, okay?”

“I’m not going anywhere.  I told you already I cannot die.” Henry said breathing shallowly. “It will be alright.  I promise.”

“Henry, I want to believe you, but honestly you are dying and I cannot play games.  I love you!”  James held onto Henry with tears running down his face.

“Trust me.  And when I am gone,” Henry’s voice was weak.  “Go to the river and I will be there.”

James began crying.  “You stay with me.  Do you hear me?  You stay.  I cannot go on without you.”

Henry let out a final breath and vanished.

James stared at the ground in front of him.  Was this a dream?  Where was Henry?  Then he remembered the last thing Henry had told him.  ‘Go to the river’.

James ran up to Amelia to get his medical bag.  She also had a fresh set of clothes because she saw her brother tear the other shirt off him.  James then took off for the river.

A large river bored the Carter farm.  Why would Henry be there?  When James neared the river he saw a very naked, yet very much alive Henry sitting on the bank.

James dropped the medical bag and the clothes and ran to him, kissing him passionately.  “I thought you were gone.  You were there, you died in my arms.  I held you and you died.  Then you vanished.” James held Henry very tight.  Afraid that if he were to let Henry go Henry would vanish again.

“James?”  A voice called out from among the trees. 

“That’s Amelia. We need to get you dressed before she is exposed to more of you than her little eyes should.”

Henry quickly put on the offered pants.

“James,” came the little girl’s voice again.  “You’re not hurt.”  Amelia stared at Henry as she came through the trees.

“Your brother is a very good doctor and healed me.”  Henry lied as he pulled the shirt on, “I’m much better now.”

“No, you were bleeding.  There was lots of blood.  You were dying.”  The girl just stared at him.  “I saw it.  Are you a ghost?  An angel?” She gave a sharp gasp, “A demon?”

“No, my dear,” James came up to the girl, “Henry just heals very quickly.  He is not like us, but he is not a demon.”

“How can you be sure,” The girl questioned.

James smiled, “Because I love him.”

“Love him?  Like Dad loves Mom?”

James turned to Henry and put his arms around him, and a hand on his face, “Yeah, just like that.”

Amelia smiled.

“What the hell?”  Thomas, James’ oldest brother, came running towards them, just in time to hear James declare his love for Henry.

Henry and James moved away from each other and did not say a word.

“Amelia, you need to go up to the house.”  Thomas glared at Henry and James.  “You don’t need to be around this.”

Amelia moved towards Henry, “He saved me.  From the bull, he saved me and I am staying here.”

“What?” Thomas questioned.

“I don’t know why you are mad.  Henry saved my life.” The girl reached out grabbing Henry’s hand.  Henry smiled down at her.

Thomas just glared, “I think it is time you two left.”

James nodded and walked with Henry and Amelia back to the house to gather his things and say goodbye.  James knew that his brother would tell the others about his relationship with Henry and he knew how they would react.  It was better to just leave than to stick around for the aftermath.  He loved his family, but always knew how they would feel about him if they found out his secret.

His parents were surprised when the two announced they were leaving, and thanked Henry repeatedly for getting her away from the bull in time.  They were also thankful that Henry did not get hurt as well.

James waved sadly goodbye as he and Henry walked down the road to the train station.

That was the last time James saw his family.  He stayed in touch with his sister through letters, but no one else would write him.  He got one letter from his father letting him know that Thomas had told them and he would pray for James’ soul, but he would not allow that kind of perversion in his house ever again. 

~~*~~

“The last letter Amelia got from James he told her he was sick, and then she heard no more until she learned he had died.  Did he suffer?”

Henry looked sad.  Talking about James brought all of those memories back up.  Watching James struggle to breath and knowing Henry couldn’t do anything to help him.  Standing by as James’ body struggle and failed him.  “He had tuberculosis, and we didn’t know anything about it at the time.  There was nothing we could do.  I wish I could say he didn’t, but I did everything I could…”  Henry began crying

Emily hugged Henry, “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean…”

It took a few minutes for Henry stop crying.  It had been a long time since he had talked to anyone about this rough time in his life and he was not able to keep the emotions back.

It was starting to get late, Emily stood “I should be leaving now.  If I find anymore of James’ item as I go through my grandmother’s stuff I will bring it by for you.”

Henry hugged her, “I don’t know how I could ever thank you.”

She hugged him back, “Hey, if you had not saved my great- grandmother’s life all those years ago, I wouldn’t be here.  Let’s call it even.”

Henry walked her to the front door in the store.  “Come by anytime.” 

Abe was dusting in the shop when they came through.

“I’m sorry but I have to ask.  Are you and he…?” She pointed at Abe.

Henry laughed, “No, no, eh, Abraham’s my son.”

Abe looked up shocked.

“Did you ever find someone?”

“Yes, for a while.”

“And you are happy?”

“Very happy!”  Henry locked the shop door and went to the books on the counter.  “I love you more than words can wield the matter, Dearer than eyesight, space and liberty” He mumbled to himself as he flipped open the book.

"Are we going to talk about what just happened?"  Abe questioned Henry, but Henry was already walking out of the room.  "Henry?  Henry... Pops!"


	4. The scars that heal

**Chapter 4**

“O, how thy worth with manners may I sing…When thou art all the better part of me?”

James looked up from his book and saw Henry standing in the doorway.  “Why Dr. Morgan, I do believe you are quoting Shakespeare.”  The love James held for the immortal man shown out from his eyes.

Henry smiled, “Yeah well that is all that I remember.”  Henry walked over to where James was sitting.  He leaned down and kissed the younger man on the head and stole the book away from him.  “Romeo and Juliet again? What is it about this story that you love so much?”  Henry teased.

“I don’t know.  I guess I like the idea that even though their histories should have kept them apart, the two still ended up together.  They found love even though everything was working against them.”

Henry rolled his eyes, “But was it really love?”

James sighed, “Who are we to judge their love?”

“Stories like this do not happen in real life though.”  Henry handed James his book back and headed towards the kitchen to make their dinner.

“Says the man who was born over 100 years ago.  Oh no, people with very different histories they never end up together.” James mocked.

“It’s not the same,” Henry called out from the next room.

James just laughed.

~~*~~

Henry had sat in his study with the books and letters reading and rereading them over and over again.  Abe had been through a few times to get him to take a break from the past and join the present, but Henry never seemed to notice he was there.

“Fine, and when someone comes looking for you because you haven’t been at work; I will not be covering for you.  You will just have to explain to them why you are sitting in a room with boxes and albums of photos of you and letters that are too old you actually be yours.” Abe went back downstairs to the store.

It took another two days before Abe was true to his words, Lucas finally showed up at the store looking for Henry.

“Morning Abe, you haven’t seen Henry have you?”  Lucas questioned.  “He hasn’t been in the morgue in like 4 days.  Jo hasn’t seen him either.”

“Yeah, the useless lump is upstairs.”  Abe didn’t mean to sound so harsh.  He knew how hard it was for his father to express feelings and deal with memories when they were brought back up.  He also knew that if his father was in a relationship with a man in the 1900 who died suddenly, more than likely he had no chance to mourn at the time.  Same-sex relationships were not just frown upon but often punishable.  When James died Henry would have played the grieving friend, but not allowed the time to grieve as a widower.  Though Abe wished Henry would at least talk to him.  Abe knew his father would be better off if he talked about it.

“Is he alright?” Lucas looked worried.

“Just taking a trip down memory lane.” Abe clarified.

Lucas went wide eyed, “No wonder it is taking so long.  That man remembers everything.”

Abe looked up confused.

“I mean if I were as old as Henry I am sure I would have forgotten most of my past.  But not Henry, he seems to remember all two hundred or so years and can draw on memories and fact he learned ages ago in a drop of a hat.  The man’s good!”

“He told you?”  Abe questioned. 

Lucas blinked, “Well, no, but it’s not really a secret is it?”

Abe stood, mouth gaped open.

“I mean he is always dropping hints at work, about having to be centuries old to know as much as he does, or lived a lot of lives, whatever.  I mean and we had that case with the blood sample that didn’t make sense with the weird impossible antibodies in it, and he got all weird about it.  And I kind of decided to check his, and found that he had a lot of the same antibodies.  We are talking diseases that died out long before any of us.  I guess that was my first indicator that he was older than he looked.”

Abe was still unable to say anything.

Lucas stood awkwardly for a beat then finally asked, “So would it be alright if I went up and talked with him?”

“Eh, yeah sure,” Abe thumbed towards the stair.  He could not wrap his mind about the Assistant M.E.’s revelation.  Everything assumed that Lucas was not the most intelligent man in the room, and yet he was able to deduce Henry’s secret in a few months’ time.

“Okay, thanks,” Lucas smiled and he hurried towards the stairs.

*

_My dearest Amelia,_

_I am sorry we left so quickly on your birthday.  I hope you will forgive me._

_I regret to inform you that neither Henry nor I will be returning home.  I will miss you dearly, but father thinks it is for the best.  Some people just cannot understand the love I have for Henry.  Please do not be angry, at me or at father, it is just the way it has to be.  But know that I will always love you._

_Your brother forever,_

_James_

Henry read the letter and it hurt.  James was so kind, never once speaking ill of his family for turning him away.  Instead he always accepted their treatment as a way of life.  He knew that people would never understand him, but he also knew what his heart wanted, and that was Henry.  It hurt Henry to think that he was the cause of so much pain.  If only James were alive now, things would be so different.

“Eh, Doc, you in here?”  Lucas rounded the corner to find Henry sitting with a stack of old letters on the desk in front of him and a few old photos as well.

Henry looked up in surprise to see Lucas standing there.

“Oh wow, those look old.”  Lucas moved closer to get a better look.

Henry stood to block Lucas and pulled an unopened album over the stack that he had been looking at, “Lucas, what are you doing here?”

“Abe said that you were up here, and I just came to check on you.  You haven’t been at work in several days.  No one had heard from you.  Thought you might have died again.”

Henry looked up shocked.

“You haven’t have you?”  Lucas questioned at the doctor’s expression.

“Lucas,” Henry was a loss for words.

Lucas watched the doctor for a moment, “It really is a secret.  I’m sorry.  I just thought no one talked about it because it is a bit creepy.”

“You are the second person this week…”  Henry could not even finish his sentence.

“Really?  Someone else figured out you were a vampire?”

“A vam…a… a what?”  Henry asked.

Lucas paused a second, “Not a vampire then… How about demigod?  Or some kind of solid ghost or something?  Are you sure you are not a vampire?  I totally thought I had this one.”

“Immortal, Lucas, I am immortal.  The question is, how did you come to this conclusion?”

Lucas recapped for Henry how he came to know that Henry was over 200 years old.  Then got to the reason he was there in the first place, “Where have you been this week?”  He asked.  “No one has heard from you.”

“A stack of old books were brought into the shop, and they belonged to a very dear friend.  I guess those memories were more than I could handle.  It has been a long time since I have thought of him and even longer since I had seen his books.  I just wasn’t ready to set him aside again.  Not just yet.”

“Would you tell me about him?”  Lucas asked, hoping he wasn’t being too forward with his boss.

Henry had a smile cross his face, but it did not reach his eyes.  These memories were incredibly personal to him, but he also knew that not talking about pain only made the pain increase.

~~*~~

James sat alone at the desk writing Amelia.  Henry was not home yet and he knew he had to finish the letter before Henry got home. 

_My dearest Amelia,_

_I do hope you received my package last week.  I cannot believe you are sixteen already.  Only last week you were a little girl.  I so hope you and everyone is doing well.  Please send them my love, even though I know they do not wish to have it._

_I am sorry to tell you the faith healer did not help.  There is an experimental doctor near our hospital I should try next, but I am beginning to lose hope.  Part of me fears what comes next, but mostly I fear leaving Henry.  He will be alone.  No one else knows his secret, well except for you.  I just wished there was a way I could stay with him longer.  Though I know that even if I were to live to be a hundred I would still die and he would go on alone, I just want more time._

There were tears rolling down James’ face as he wrote.  There was no cure for the disease that was now tearing away at his lungs and soon he would die, and would leave Henry once again alone in the universe.  It really was a curse of immortality, a curse that would leave Henry alone, no matter the attachments he made.  Ultimately everyone Henry met would die.

_I have not yet found a way of telling him of my illness and I hope I never have to.  If the new treatment does not work, I will be forced to though._

_Wish me luck,_  
Your brother forever,  
James

James quickly sealed up the letter when he heard the front door open.  James was relieved the letter was sealed up when he felt the gentle arms of his lover wrapped around him..

“Who are you writing?”  Henry questioned. 

“Amelia, just making sure she got her gift.”  James turned himself to face Henry.

Henry could see the hurt in James’ eyes.  Even after all these years he still got upset when he wrote his sister, Henry assumed.  “Why don’t we go somewhere nice this even for dinner?” 

“I would much rather stay in, my allergies have been acting up.”

Henry leaned down and kissed James on the forehead, “You are a bit warm.  Why don’t you go lie down, and I will make you something.”

James gave him a sad smile as Henry hurried off to the kitchen.

~~*~~

When Abe closed the store and went upstairs he was surprise to see his father handing Lucas a pair of photos telling a story about how he and James had played an inappropriate prank on an older grumpy nurse at the hospital and nearly were fired because of it. Henry was laughing and smiling.

Part of Abe was upset that Henry had not opened up to him, but mostly he was happy that his father had finally talked with someone opposed to just sitting alone.

Abe watched from the stairs for a moment then turned to walk away and leave the two alone.

“Abraham, come in here.”  Henry smiled at him.  “Thank you, you were right.  Talking about it does make it better.”

Henry hugged his son tightly.  “I am sorry.  I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”  He apologized.

“Well, let that be a lesson learned.  I may only be in my seventies, but I know what is best.”  Abe teased.  “How about I go make dinner and you can tell us more.”

Henry nodded.

~~*~~

Henry and James lay out under the stars on a blanket.  James’ arm was under Henry’s head while the other pointed out constellations.

The two grew quiet after they exhausted their knowledge of star familiarity.  James began lazily running his fingers through Henry’s hair.

The gentle touch was softly lulling Henry to sleep.  “I love you.  And I thank the stars and whoever else is listening that we met.”  Henry whispered into James’ chest as he curled in closer.

James kissed him softly. “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

“You are determined to make me love that play aren’t you?”

James did not answer just pulled Henry closer.

“Can I just love you and that be good enough?”  Henry questioned while his eyes became heavy.

James’ heart ached with the secret he held from his love, “Your love is more than I could ever have asked or dreamed.”

It was the next day that Henry learned of James’ illness and the experimental treatments.  It would be another year before it finally took James from him. 

But right now, this moment, it was perfect.

~~*~~

“…And wouldn’t you know it.  That insufferable man was right.  I appreciated Shakespeare very much once I gave him a chance.  Though I don’t know if it was actually Shakespeare or the memories of James.”

Henry again sat with a smile on his face, one that did not quite reach his eyes as he thought.  Then with a contented sigh, he picked up the letters and photos and placed them neatly in a box, and with one more soft touch of the neatly written name inside the cover, he also put away the books.

Dr. James Carter was a bittersweet memory of a long lost love, but now Henry felt closer to him.

“Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore…So do our minutes hasten to their end…Each changing place with that which goes before…In sequent toil all forwards do contend.” Henry said softly as he put away his memories for yet another time.

The End


End file.
